Air-ship.



PATENTED NOV. 20,1906.

E. STOLTZFUS= AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET}.

PATENTED NOV. '20, 1906.

E. STOLTZFUS,

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JUHBlO, 1905.

2 SHEETS,SHEET 2.

31 wank/p V Witnesses EZRA STOIiTZFUS, OF GAP, PENNSYLVANIA.

' AlR-SHIIP.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10,1905. Serial No. 264,588.

. To all whom it may concern;

,Be it known that I, EZRA STOLTZFUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gap, in

- the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Ships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to airships, and has for its object to provide an air-ship of simple construction, easily controlled, and adapted to utilize to the fullest extent possible all the power of the motor with which it is provided.

.'With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will-be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being -understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the air-ship. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the can. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of part of the steering-shaft on line a b, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 21- is a rear fragmentary elevation of the frame representing either end, showing the arrangement of the ruddenshaft and the adjusting means therefor. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the propelling-wheels. Fig 4 is a top view of the same, partly in section.

My invention is here illustrated in connection with an air-ship of the buoyant-body type, but it is equally applicable to an airship using aeroplanes.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 is a gasbag to which is attached a car 2 by guys 3. Revolubly mounted at each end of the car in brackets 3, secured to the car-frame, is a longitudinal hollow adjustable rudder-shaft 3 eX- tending-the entire length of the car, the ends of which extend beyond the frameof the car, said ends having pivoted thereon in any suitable manner rudders 4, disposed in a vertical plane and capable of lateral swinging movement in either directionand provided with arms 5, secured to them at right an les. Attached to these arms are cables 6, whici in each instance pass into the adjacent outer end 0 the hollow shaft'3 as at 5, and out again cm the body portion of said shaft, as

at 5, and thence to a drum 7, suitably supported upon or adjacent to said shaft, to which they are secured. Said drum 7, provided with hand-wheel 7, is revolubly mounted on a short shaft fixed to i'uddenshaft 3 The cables 6 are connected to drum 7 in such a way that by turning hand-wheel 7 the rudders will be swung toward the same side of shaft 3. As shown in Fig. 2, each end 4* of the frame of the car is provided with a rectangular opening 42., through which the ends of shaft 3 pass. The rudder-shaft 3 is rovided at its ends with angular faces 3", w ich are adapted to be engaged by spring-tongues 3 secured to the end i of frame, for the purpose of retaining the rudder-shaft 3 in an adjusted position.

Transverse shafts 8 are mounted on the frame of the car and are adapted to be rotated by a motor 9 through chains 10. Upon the'outer ends of the shafts are keyed spiders 11, to which rods 12 are pivoted 1n palrs intermediate of their ends. T he outer portions of rods 12 are connected by a web 13,

the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Rotatably mounted on shafts 8 are sleeves 14, carrying cam-grooves near their outer ends, which are adapted to engage with the inner portions of said rods. S rocket-wheels 16, secured to the opposite en s of sleeves 14, are connectedby chains 17 to sprocketwheels 18, carried. by shaft 19. This shaft is provided with a tiller-wheel 20, the movement of which through the means just described rotates the sleeves 14.

Theoperation of my air-ship is as follows: Power is transmitted from motor 9 to the shafts 8, carrying spiders 11. As the inner ends ofrods 12, moving around sleeves 14, are spread apart by the cam-grooves the opposite ends of the rods are likewise spread a art and the web 13 acts upon the atmosp ere as'a paddle-wheel. When this extendomt in its rotation ed portion reaches. a

whereit would offer resistance to the forward mo ement of the ship, the cam-groove opcrates upon the inner ends of the rod 12 to close them, thereby folding the web 13 and offering a minimum resistance until it again comes into operative position. By turning the tiller-wheel 20 the sleeves 14 are turned and' the cam-grooves operate to open and close the webs at a diiferent point in their rotation, so that the ship may be moved either forward or backward, upward or downward,

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.,

Iuu

as desired. By turning hand-Wheel 7 the cables 6 are wound or unwound upon the drum 7, thereby moving the rudders to the same side of shaft 3*, thereby changing the course of the ship. 01 the rudders are in a vertical position, the rudders will control the horizontal movement of the ship. Should they be in a horizontal position, they will control a Vertical movement of the ship.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. 'In an ainship the combination with a car and propelling means therefor, of steering means com rising a shaft extending longitudinally of t 1e car, rudders pivotally mounted upon the ends of said shaft, said shaft being rotatably adjustable in bearings, means for holding said shaft in any position in which it is adjustably set and means controlled Within the bod of said car to impart movement to said ru ders in any position of said shaft.

2.. In an air-ship, the combination with a car and propelling means therefor, of steering means comprising a shaft extending longitw dinally of the car, rudders pivotal 1y mounted upon the ends of said shaft, said shaft being rotatably adjustable in bearings, means for I holding said shaft inany position in which it 1s ad ustably set, tiller-ropes secured to said rudders, and a reel, carrymg a hand-wheel, to

which said ropes are connected.

3. In an air-ship, the combination. with a If the pivoted. ends car and propellingmeans therefor, of steering 5 means com risinga shaft extending longitudinally of tlie car, rudders fpivotally mounted upon the ends of said she t, said shaft being rotatably adjustable in bearings, means for holding said shaft in any position in which it is adjustably setand means controlled within the body .of the car for ous movement in relative y opposite directions to said ruddersin a y position of said s raft.

- 4. In an air-ship, the combination Wlth'fl car and propelling means therefor, of steering, means comfn'is'ing' a hollow shaft extending longitudina ly of the car, rudderspivo'tallv mounted upon the ends. of said shaft, said wheel.

In testiniony whereof I affix mv signature in presence of two witnesses;

Witnesses:

0. LE ROY PARKER, FRANK G. CAMPBELL.

arting siniul-tsne- I EZRA sToLTZFUS. 

